Horse Racing | Trainer Herb Stevens, 96, dies

9:48 PM,
Feb. 11, 2013

Written by

The Courier-Journal

Herb Stevens - the World War II veteran who became one of Central Kentucky's most respected trainers, renowned for his work with young horses - died Saturday in Versailles, Ky., at age 96. Racing media outlets reported the cause of death as a heart attack.

Stevens was best known for developing the gelding Rockhill Native as the 2-year-old champion of 1979. Rockhill Native won Keeneland's Blue Grass to be the favorite for the 1980 Kentucky Derby, in which he finished fifth. The gelding went on to finish third in the Belmont Stakes in what proved his last career start. He retired with 10 victories ...